MSSP provides social and health case management to assist persons aged 65 and over eligible for Medi-Cal and certifiable for skilled nursing care, to remain safely at home.

Cost/Funding Sources:
There is no charge to those who are eligible.

MSSP provides case management under a Federal Medicaid Home and Community-Based, Long-Term Care Services Waiver. It is a Medi-Cal program, funded through the Health Care Financing Administration in Washington, D.C. and the Health and Welfare Agency of the State of California.

To Qualify:
Participation in MSSP is limited to a specific number of clients. MSSP makes this certification determination based upon Medi-Cal criteria for placement.

To qualify for MSSP you must:
1) Be age 65 or older
2) Be currently eligible for Medi-Cal
3) Be certified or certifiable for placement in a nursing facility
4) Live in the MSSP service area
5) Be in frail health, defined as someone who:
- Is about to be discharged from a hospital and needs help; or
- Has recently been hospitalized and has found it difficult to manage; or
- Needs help with daily activities such as eating,
bathing, dressing, or moving about the home safely.

Program Description:
The Multipurpose Senior Service Program (MSSP) provides social and health case management for frail elderly clients who are certifiable for placement in a nursing facility, but who wish to remain in the community. The goal of the program is to arrange for and monitor the use of community services to prevent or delay premature institutional placement of these frail clients. The services must be provided at a cost lower than that for nursing facility care.

The MSSP program, which began in 1977 with eight sites, has expanded to 35 sites statewide and can serve up to 11,700 clients per month.

How MSSP's services work:
A Nurse and Care Manager will meet with you to learn your needs for independent home living. Working together, you'll develop a plan to meet those needs by drawing on existing community resources. In some cases, MSSP will directly purchase services for you.
Your MSSP Nurse and Care Manager will arrange for the assistance you've agreed upon and will check regularly to make sure that the services continue to meet your needs. Should your needs change, your MSSP Care Manager will alter your plan and its services to meet those needs.

If you wish, your MSSP Care Manager will also keep your family informed of your living situation, even if your family members live far away.

MSSP Services are important because:
People are happier. Their lives are more fulfilled and connected when they are living at home rather than in an institution. MSSP services can often make it possible for people to remain at home.
An added benefit of MSSP services is that it is much less expensive for both the individual and for the taxpayer to help a person to live at home than to pay the cost of an institution.

MSSP is not a crisis intervention service for medical, mental health, or other types of emergencies. Nor is MSSP able to provide immediate services prior to enrollment.

Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: My father is only 63 years old, but otherwise he seems to meet the other requirements for MSSP. Can MSSP still help? If not, what do I do now?
A: Since you must be at least age 65 to enroll in MSSP, your father wouldn't be eligible for this program at this time.

Q: What does it mean to be "certifiable for nursing facility placement"? I don't want to have to go into a nursing home.
A: Being "certifiable" or "eligible" for nursing facility placement just means that you have disabilities that would qualify you to be in a nursing facility - it does not mean that you have to go into a nursing home. A nurse who works for MSSP makes the certification. The goal of MSSP services is to see that people get the help they need to stay in their own homes as long as possible.

Q: Why do you have to be on Medi-Cal to be on MSSP?
A: The Medi-Cal program funds MSSP, so all enrollees of MSSP have to meet Medi-Cal eligibility criteria.

Q: If I were to enroll in the MSSP program, could I still keep my IHSS caregiver?
A: Yes, you can keep your same IHSS caregiver, as IHSS is a separate program from MSSP.

Q: What if I need a service not covered by MSSP?
A: There is no guarantee that MSSP will be able to pay for every service you need. When a need is identified, the first option is always to check whether family or friends can help. If this doesn't work, then we look to other agencies in your community that have programs for which you might be able to qualify (e.g., In-Home Supportive Services, Meals on Wheels, etc.). Only if these other sources can't help will MSSP consider whether its program funds can be spent. This determination is based on several factors, including the type of service (only a few things can be paid for by MSSP) and the reasons why other providers aren't adequate for your needs.

Donations:
Donations: Your donations are greatly appreciated.
Funds are used to pay for much needed client services that our grants don't cover. In most cases, since much of our administration expenses are paid by other funding sources, your donation can be used almost entirely to pay for client services. Many donations are in memory of a loved one.
Checks can be made out to CCMC. If you wish, you can make a notation to indicate which program you would like your gift to go towards (you can also indicate which site, such as MSSP Ukiah, Fort Bragg, or Lake County).

Contacts (For More Information):
TO LEARN MORE just give us a call or drop by. We're here to help you, or someone you know, to live a life of independence and personal dignity in your own home.